Those who died homeless on Philly's streets memorialized with calls for action

About Holly Otterbein

WHYY staff reporter Holly Otterbein covers Philadelphia's city government and schools. After more than a year in public radio, she almost doesn't hate the sound of her own voice.

Before starting on her current beat in May 2013, she worked as a reporter for "It's Our Money," a collaboration between WHYY and the Philadelphia Daily News focusing on the municipal budget. She was previously a staff writer for the Philadelphia City Paper.

Her honors include a first-place award from the Association of Alternative News Media, a 2012 award from the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association, and 2011 and 2010 awards from the Society of Professional Journalists' Philadelphia chapter.

She was born in Baltimore and therefore has lots of opinions about crabs. She also lived in rural Pennsylvania for several years. She now calls South Philly home.

More than 100 advocates for the homeless gathered in Philadelphia Thursday evening to memorialize people who died on the streets this year.

Sister Mary Scullion, founder of the housing nonprofit Project HOME, said Pennsylvania could combat homelessness by ensuring that all residents have access to health care coverage. According to her group, 127 homeless and formerly homeless people died in 2013.

"It's a scandal in this wealthy country when we continue to have people that live and die on our streets," she said. "If we want to see the day when no one lives on our street or in our shelters, we need just public policies to ensure access to quality health care and housing."

A city report found that 55 percent of homeless people who died between 2009 and 2010 did not have health insurance.

Former Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr. also called on public officials to do more to fight homelessness at the event.

"Everyone born in this city, in this country, should have a right to food on their table and a place to live and to keep warm," he said.

"Homeless Persons' Memorial Day" was founded in 1990 by Washington, D.C.-based advocates to bring attention to the nation's failure to end homelessness. The event has since spread to dozens of U.S. cities.

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